Upendo

Upendo is 23 years old with baby Prisca 10 months old.

Upendo has had a very tough life. Her mother died when she was 6 months old and her father ran away. She and her brother were left with her grandmother but sadly she  did not want the children and they were separated and she has not seen her brother again. Upendo went from home to home as she grew up living with anyone that would take her and feed her. She never went to school and when she was 13 she got a job as a house maid but the husband always wanted to sleep with her so she ran away. All of her young life she just did jobs anywhere she could to get some money for food.

When she met a man she was happy because she thought she would have someone to take care of her but when she was 8 months pregnant he ran away. She delivered her baby on her own and went straight back to work cleaning some homes for food. One day she saw the Neema sign and came and asked for a job. Instead she was offered a position in the MAP program so she can create a business and look after her baby. Upendo wants to buy dried fish in bulk and sell it in small portions in town.

Upendo is so grateful and she says she has family in Neema Village and friends now in the MAP house. She finally feels safe and loved.  Upendo will begin taking classes at Neema so she can have a better life.